June 2014 Issue - Page 1 Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club s Newsletter Since April 1993 The Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Brings Model Trains back to the Original Apple Shed Restaurant Pictures and Story by Marlan Woodside Remember the old days when you could go get a bite to eat at the Mountain Crossing Restaurant and while there, check out the model railroad display of the loop? And then all of a sudden it was GONE! Where else could one go to fill that appetite for watching a model train display? While maybe not as well known as the Mountain Crossing display, the Original Apple Shed Restaurant was another such venue to watch a model train go through its paces. But alas, that version somehow got derailed. While I d like to say we got a new replacement for the Mountain Crossing display, we got the next best thing thanks to TLRC members Dan Steinberg, Rex Welker, Rick Passalacqua, Wilson James and John Bell. These guys answered the public duty call to restore the G scale train display during a recent remodeling of the Apple Shed restaurant. According to an article in the local Loop Newspaper dated 7 21 June 2014 by Anne Marie Novinger, the TLRC members stepped up to the plate and came in while remodeling was going on. (Fixing the train was not an option while diners were dining below!). They analyzed the train and the track and went to work over several visits, donating their time, equipment and talents to the project. Most of the malfunction was due to compromised track surfaces as well as uneven track The author goes on to mention that the train having been on the blink left the Original Apple Shed diners and their children disappointed! So many thanks and kudos go out to the G Scale guys in the TLRC for restoring the train, doing a good public deed and demonstrating how the TLRC is a force for the good of the community. Another TLRC member, Doug Pickard, was one of the original members of the crew that first installed the train in the Original Apple Shed restaurant. Rumor has it that the restaurant is thinking of expanding the layout so that crew mentioned above better keep their tools in t the ready position!!
June 2014 Issue - Page 2 The Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Brings Model Trains back to the Original Apple Shed Restaurant (Concluded) Pictures and Story by Marlan Woodside If you ever wonder if your participation and involvement in the Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club (TLRC) ever matters, just read the letter displayed below and note the lead off article having made the local Loop newspaper. Many thanks go out to TLRC members Dan Steinberg, Rex Welker, Rick Passalacqua, Wilson James and John Bell. Thanks for representing the TLRC in such a favorable way before the public and commercial interests in the city of Tehachapi. The TLRC has really missed having the good public relations that existed when the club maintained the HO layout in the, now torn down, Mountain Crossing restaurant. These guys should justifiably feel proud that as a result of their efforts, the public can once again enjoy the clickity clack of the train cars as they go around the layout in the rafters of the Original Apple Shed restaurant. Suffice it to say that the example set forth by this group and those in past years serve as an excellent example of how getting involved can not only be fun but help share the joy of the model railroading hobby. Since the history of Tehachapi is forever linked to the railroad, having a club like the TLRC and having its members get involved in the community is a win win situation that benefits those that volunteer their time, the club and the community. And that truly makes model railroading FUN!!! Good job guys, keep up the good work.
June 2014 Issue - Page 3 East Kern G Scale Railroaders Story and Pictures by Rick Passalacqua The monthly get together planned for John Bell s place was cancelled and no make-up get together was planned for May. I didn t have a lot of time in May due to a lot of planned and unplanned non train projects, so I could not host an unprepared get together. Everyone else also seemed busy. It was the first time in two years that a get together was missed. But I sure, just like me, that although we couldn t get together, our minds were still wondering what we could do in G scale. I know that every year I try to do something new or add something new to my layout. One year I added my walking bridge; another year I relocated my power source with new wiring, then later added another mainline, then added a town line the next year, etc. This year John Bell has been working really hard on his road base to reconstruct his railroad. The amount of dirt John has moved is a lot! Dennis Keck, as usual, has been working on new buildings to include a blacksmith shop. One of my unplanned projects, that really needs to be taken care of soon, is removing a 25 foot green spruce tree in the middle of one of my curves that is almost totally dead! I need to remove it soon, although I ll miss it a lot, it opens up new ideas for a new scenic location that I didn t have before. Of course John, Dennis and I still need to install our railroad signals. Seems like there is always plenty of railroad stuff to take care of when you have a layout to operate. The owners of the Apple Shed Restaurant called me and thanked all of us who helped get the trains running there again. Dennis and I went to the Ontario Big Train Show and had a great time. There were great bargains and wonderful layouts of all scales. I m sorry to say that I won t be in town for the next get together (June), so I am hoping that the guys will get together on their own or wait until I come back in the last week of June. I always need to run some trains! See Ya Rick May 2014 (L to R) Dan Steinberg, Rex Welker, Rick Passalacqua, Wilson James and John Bell
June 2014 Issue - Page 4 TLRC Business Meeting Stationmaster s Report May 10th, 2014 at Kelcy s Restaurant 1. Superintendent Rex Welker called the meeting to order at 10:00am. 2. Members/Guests: 18 members and 1 guest were present. 3. Stationmaster s Report: Phil Cornyn made a motion to approve the 12 April 2014 minutes. John Medvigy seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 4. Paymaster s Report: After Mike Schmitt explained that the $251.91 Exhibition Miscellaneous Expense was for the skirting with TLRC logo for the HO scale layout. Also the $998.68 General Exhibition fee included a check for $250.00 requested by the Tehachapi Parks and Recreation department as a deposit for use of West Park. The check will be returned at the end of the year. Wilson James made a motion to approve the 3 May 2014 Paymaster s Reports. Dean Smith seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 5. Committee Reports: A) Hospitality: Rex Welker, reported that Cathy Welker sent a card to Phil Cornyn after his successful surgery. If anyone knows of any other needs, please let Cathy know via Rex s email address. B) Conductor: Chris Howard introduced the TLRC guest, Nick Frischhertz. C) Historian: Rex Welker proclaimed that we are still making history! Chris Howard shared information on an accident involving Metrolink and a pedestrian at Ave K in Lancaster. 5. Committee Reports (Concluded): D) Membership: Rick Passalacqua has sent the current roster to the club email. Debra Howard will forward it to all members. Reminder that dues are due by the end of June. Rick will not be at the June meeting. E) Loop Editor: Marlan Woodside is on a cruise, but did publish the newsletter before leaving. F) Facebook Site: Dean Smith will continue to post articles to Facebook as he finds them. Public postings go to a separate area of the Facebook page, not the timeline. Dean gets notified when this happens. He can then post them to the timeline if they are appropriate. Only Dean Smith and Marlan Woodside can post to the timeline. G) Web Site: Update still on hold. Maureen Cornyn reviewed the promotions items section of the website. It is not up to date. We no longer have mugs nor do we have all of the sizes of T- shirts that are advertised. Dean Smith will talk to John Schuler about updating the site. We currently do not take online payments. The board will discuss establishing a PayPal account and report back next meeting. H) Promotions: Maureen Cornyn reported that she sold a lot of pins at the last show and needs to restock. She asked permission to go to Trains, Etc. to place an order so that she will have stock for the June Train Crazy Saturday at Mojave Airport. Permission was given by the board. I) Publicity: Mike Schmitt said that advertising was successful for last show. ( Stationmaster s Report continued on next page )
June 2014 Issue - Page 5 TLRC Business Meeting Stationmaster s Report May 10th, 2014 at Kelcy s Restaurant 5. Committee Reports (Concluded): J) Ways and Means: Vacant K) Tours: No update as Marlan was not in attendance. L) Event Coordinator: Wilson James thanked everyone for showing up and helping to make the show successful. He confirmed that we are still on track for the August 9 th and 10 th show. 6. Scale Chair Reports: A) N Chris Howard announced that he is donating an HO-scale Norfolk and Western caboose to the club. B) HO Wilson James suggested that club members not work on their trains or projects during the show. He proposed that the scales set up a workshop(s) between shows to do work. If anyone is interested, please contact Wilson to establish a time and place. C) Toy Trains Doug Pickard volunteered to set up the hospital layout at Train Crazy Saturday. D) O Vacant. E) G Scale Rex Welker invited everyone to the Lancaster Northwestern RR Club s open house on Sunday MAY 17 TH. He also pointed out that the TLRC club needs to begin construction on its own modular layout. 7. Old Business: A) By-law Review: On hold. B) Comparison of Dues to Other Clubs: It was decided to re-evaluate our dues at 7. Old Business: (Concluded) B) Comparison of Dues to Other Clubs (Concluded): the end of the year. The board needs to see what the impact is of the increased cost of show space at West Park. C) Original Apple Shed Repairs: Several members of the club went to the Original Apple Shed to assess the existing train/track situation. They cleaned the track, fixed a significant dip, dealt with a mysterious power issue, ground down re-railers and Rick Passalacqua lent them an engine, 3 cars and a track cleaner bearing the TLRC logo. The Original Apple Shed will be getting their own engine and looking at expanding the size of the layout. They are letting everyone know that TLRC is responsible for getting trains running again good advertising. D) Nominations: The Nominations Committee chairman, Phil Cornyn, announced the nominees for the board: Superintendent Rex Welker Dispatcher Mario Terrazas Paymaster Mike Schmitt Stationmaster Dean Smith 1 st Inspector Wilson James 2 nd Inspector Marlan Woodside 8. New Business: A) Train Crazy Saturday-Live Steam: John Medvigy announced that Mike Massey is looking at having live steam at Train Crazy and possibly at upcoming TLRC shows. James Wilson and Mike Schmitt will check with the Tehachapi Parks and Recreation Department to see what ( Stationmaster s Report continued on next page )
June 2014 Issue - Page 6 TLRC Business Meeting Stationmaster s Report May 10th, 2014 at Kelcy s Restaurant 8. New Business (Concluded): A) Train Crazy Saturday-Live Steam (Concluded): the insurance requirements will be. Chris Howard also has a contact for a ride-on train, John Hoefler of The Backyard Railroad Company. He will provide information to the board. B) S.H.A.R.E.S Cards: Mike Schmitt has a new supply of cards. Our latest check was for $127.00. C) Mountain Festival Parade: Mike Schmitt received an invitation for TLRC to participate in the Mountain Festival Parade the third weekend in August. He will complete and submit the application. Our next show is the 2 nd weekend. D) Scenery Building and Track Maintenance Clinics: Chris Howard has volunteered to do clinics at the next show. 9. Round Table Discussion: A) Free-Mo West Convention: The Free-Mo West Convention will be 05/16 05/18/2014 at the San Bernardino Museum. Minimum information was available regarding times and admission. 10. Upcoming Events: A) May 31 st and June 1 st The Big Train Show, Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2000 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario, California 91764, Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. B) June 14 th Monthly Meeting 10:00 am at Kelcy s Restaurant. 10. Upcoming Events: (Concluded) C) June 14 th Train Fair/Swap Meet Fun Day, Friends of the Tehachapi Depot (FOTD), Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum, 101 West Tehachapi Boulevard, Tehachapi, CA 93561, Saturday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, call 661-823- 1100. D) June 28 th Last Remaining Seats, Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club (TLRC) is sponsoring a Metrolink trip from Lancaster to Los Angeles Union Station and then Metro Red Line to Pershing Square and then on to the Orpheum Theater to see the movie Citizen Kane. This event is in association with the Los Angeles Conservancy. Saturday 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Transportation to Lancaster is not being provided by the TLRC. E) July 19 th Train Crazy Saturday, Mojave Transportation Museum, Mojave Air and Spaceport, 1434 Flightline, Mojave, CA 93501 Saturday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Call 661-824-2889. F) July 12 th Monthly Meeting Crew Change Dinner, details to be announced. G) August 9 th and 10 th Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Show Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, West Park Activity Center, 410 W D St, Tehachapi, CA 93561. 11) Superintendent: Dean Smith made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Chris Howard seconded it. Motion passed unanimously. Rex Welker adjourned the meeting at 10:50am.
From the desk of the Paymaster Mike Schmitt, the following reports are provided for your review June 2014 Issue - Page 7 TLRC FINANCIAL REPORTS You are reading a special edition of the Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club newsletter. (You didn t want to read our financials anyway, did you?) We hope you enjoy reading about our activities and hope your interest in our club has been ignited such that you might consider joining in the fun with us! We are a non-profit organization that fosters the interests of our members in the hobby of railroading and modeling of railroads as well as seeking out railroad adventures to further our understanding and love of trains. We put on an occasional show or two as well over at West Park in Tehachapi and meet the second Saturday of each month at Kelcy s Restaurant (across the street from the Depot) in Tehachapi. Stop on by we d love to have you join us. To learn more, visit our website, send us an email or contact one of our board members or any member of the club! All this information is displayed on page 8 of this newsletter.
Activities: TLRC OFFICERS Superintendent Rex Welker 661-256-2147 Dispatcher Theresa Bruno N/A Stationmaster Debra Howard 760-559-7380 Paymaster Mike Schmitt 661-821-5271 1st. Inspector Wilson James 661-823-1665 2nd. Inspector Marlan Woodside 760-373-4765 ADMINISTRATORS/CHAIRPERSONS Hospitality Cathy Welker Conductor Chris Howard Historian Rex Welker Membership Rick Passalacqua Loop Editor Marlan Woodside Scale Chairs: N Chris Howard HO Wilson James Toy Trains Doug Pickard O Vacant G John Bell Facebook and Web Site Conductor Dean Smith Promotions Maureen Cornyn Publicity Mike Schmitt Ways & Means Vacant Tours Marlan Woodside Event Coordinator Wilson James TLRC Email Address: tlrc_club@hotmail.com Facebook Address: Search for Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Website Address: tlrwww.tehachapilooprailroadclub.org June 2014 Issue - Page 8 Loop Editor s Corner Hope you everyone is enjoying the start of summer! This month s meeting is notable in that we vote for new officers and have our annual dues that must be paid to Rick Passalacqua, our membership guy! So please be ready to pay your dues and then vote. Be sure and speak up about ideas for the club for this coming year and volunteer to do something to promote the club. We will have a booth at the 19 July Mojave Transportation Museum s first ever Train Crazy Saturday at the Mojave Airport (summer hours are 9am to 1pm). The airport has a restaurant serving breakfast and/or lunch, so stop by and see what s happening. I am sure they will still have a few planes to look at as well. Also save some time in July for the crew change dinner, more details to come. And then before you know it, the August TLRC show will be upon us. We have loss a couple of members so we can use all the help that we can to make it a success. Happy Training!!! Marlan Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Monthly Newsletter of the Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Post Office Box 876 Tehachapi, CA 93581 Table of Contents TLRC & Original Apple Shed.Page 01 TLRC & Original Apple Shed.Page 02 Kern G Scale Railroaders...Page 03 Stationmaster Report...Page 04 Stationmaster Report...Page 05 Stationmaster Report...Page 06 Paymaster Report...Page 07 Officers & Contacts...Page 08 Next Meeting Date: 14 June 2014 @ 10am Location: Kelcy s Restaurant 110 West Tehachapi Boulevard